Cities

Prospects and Challenges of the New Urban Agenda in Lagos

Lagos, 3 October 2016 — The current population of Lagos is double what the city was designed to accommodate, leaving city planners with the challenges of managing the effects of rapid urbanization. In the run-up to Habitat III in Quito in a couple of weeks, URB.im’s Lagos Community Manager sat down with Dr. Taibat Lawanson, an associate professor of urban planning at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. She also served in the process leading to Habitat III as a policy expert on institutions, capacity building and development.See more.

Prospects and Challenges of the New Urban Agenda in Lagos

Peter Adeyeye, Lagos Community Manager

Lagos, 3 October 2016

The current population of Lagos is double what the city was designed to accommodate, leaving city planners with the challenges of managing the effects of rapid urbanization. In the run-up to Habitat III in Quito in a couple of weeks, URB.im’s Lagos Community Manager sat down with Dr. Taibat Lawanson, an associate professor of urban planning at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. She also served in the process leading to Habitat III as a policy expert on institutions, capacity building and development.

Looking at Lagos as one of the fastest growing megacities in the world, what do you think are the critical challenges affecting the city?

The major challenge is infrastructure. The city is currently designed to accommodate between eight and 10 million but we have an estimated 21 million people, so the infrastructure is over stretched and the government is struggling with it. There is also a problem of urban inequality; the gap between the rich and the poor is high so there is a high level of discontent and that has security implications. Another problem planners are facing is how to deal with informality. Lagos currently has about 200 slums and there is a challenge because the law does not recognize these organic indigenous settlements.

Considering the growth rate of Lagos with an estimated annual increase of 600,000 people, do you think Lagos will get to a point where it can no longer sustain its teeming population?

What is happening is that Lagos is swallowing up settlements at its fringes. Peri-urbanism is a dominant phenomenon. The Lagos government has prepared a number of master plans that address issues like densification – increasing the number of people per square meter and vertical development – but all these are being priced out of the reach of an average person. And so while those visions of development are good in themselves, they are not very workable because the infrastructure to support them is not available on one hand and where it is being done it is too expensive for the average person, so the people are spreading and will keep spreading out until we don’t know what the boundary are between Lagos and Ogun State.

In view of the Habitat III conference holding in October in Quito, what role do you think the New Urban Agenda will play in Lagos?

The urban agenda document is not a politically binding document. It is an advisory document but has positive potential. We have issues like the National Urban Policy with which countries can adopt for long-term development. The National Urban Policy recognizes metropolitan governance that we don’t have here, such as the mayoral system in which the city will be governed and services provided as a whole rather than as decentralized which have financial and other implications. The urban agenda also addresses the right to the city and identified as a preferred ideal. So if Lagos is able to identify with that document and use that document as a blueprint for its development agenda over the next 20 years given the challenges in the other sectors and the realities that our urbanization is dynamic, I think we will be better served especially because the social dimensions are categorical.

So what mechanism can local governments use in implementing them?

The first thing for me is the strengthening of the local governments. Currently, local government are mere appendages; however, they are the closet level of government to the people, so a lot of services provided by the state government ought to be provided by the local governments. We need to strengthen the quality of human resource in our local government and make them understand they have an important part to play in the urbanization process. The second thing is to provide them with the funds and other capacities to fulfil their mandates. We also need a strong electoral process at the local government level so they understand the importance of their work, and we have people who are both willing and able to make a change.

What are the challenges Lagos may face in implementing that?

I think the first is the willingness to commit and the second one is the willingness to partner: the recognition of a multi-level governance system that works, that sees those at the local government levels as partners in the process rather than foot soldiers to their own higher ideals. Then the central government must give them support in terms of capacity development and in terms of structural transformation. Close.

Empathy and cooperation for transformation

Curitiba, 27 September 2016 — While Brazil goes through a phase marked by repression and the silencing of voices daring to suggest or demand change, a major campaign in Curitiba is driving the opposition movement, focusing on empathy and collaboration as tools for building a better city. In this article, you will get to know Todos Fazem Parte.

Empathy and cooperation for transformation

Andréa Azambuja, Curitiba Community Manager

Curitiba, 27 September 2016

The current political scenario in Brazil, marked by corruption and failure of the democratic processes has been marked, too, as was to be expected, by the repression and the silencing of voices that dare to suggest or demand changes. Fortunately, there is a counter movement that focuses on integration and listening as basic tools to build a better country. In Curitiba, a representative of this movement is Sociedade Global, a civil society organization that bases its actions in empathy, co-creation and experimentation – principles of Design Thinking methodologies – to form agents of transformation.

Sociedade Global was founded in 2009 to promote learning environments (courses, development programs, workshops) focusing on innovation and social impact. Since the beginning of the meetings, in addition to the great potential of citizens committed to reframe its surroundings, one thing was clear: the numerous gaps in political participation spaces of the city – processes such as public hearings, consultations and conferences were limited, and decision making was centralized. As a result, the company's team built their own – more complex and long-term – methodology of participation and systemic impact, which began last year experimenting in the Todos Fazem Parte campaign.

"All are part of the challenges, all are part of the solutions" is the motto of the campaign, which seeks to integrate the various Curitiba agents – from the community to authorities – for all, working collaboratively, to transform the capital’s reality. To this end, it offers numerous tools, organized in a route of 10 steps, that comprise three action steps: articulate, mobilize and transform.

In general, Sociedade Global’s methodology begins by building a collaborative diagnosis – which includes analysis, benchmarking research, field research and consultation groups – to understand the city's emergency, the main desires of the citizens, active groups already working for some cause, solutions already built and, above all, ways to create collective agendas.

After the systematization of data collected, a Systemic Analysis Event is conducted, where the guidelines for the next stage are drawn, which are the topics that will be prioritized in that moment. From there, a mobilization process is initiated for the co-creation of solutions when various segments of society come together to create projects and coordinate efforts to implement them on a small scale. Systematized, the solutions put in place give rise to a portfolio of functional prototypes, viable and integrated, to be disseminated, replicated and accelerated on a large-scale.

About 400 people have participated directly in the campaign (now in the co-creation of solutions phase), performed digitally, in interventions on the streets and in person meetings, promoted in different areas of the city with the support of over a hundred partners – NGOs, universities, startups, institutes and collectives. Initially, the activities were supported by investments from Sociedade Global, partners and with the help of volunteers – often motivated by social networks – but over the months, resource-mobilization mechanisms have been developed (crowdfunding campaigns, for example), which should ensure the sustainability of the project.

The system will only change if people engage in dialogue, add up efforts and act with the collective. Then, one of the great advantages of "Todos" is its potential for mobilization and integration. And from that, for pressuring the decisions makers to do their part – but from the reality lived by citizens and solutions co-created with the participation of those directly involved. Close.

Politics of water in Mumbai

Politics of water in Mumbai

Rajji Desai, Mumbai Community Manager

Mumbai, 26 September 2016

In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly recognized access to clean drinking water and sanitation as a fundamental human right. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also said, "Safe drinking water and adequate sanitation are crucial for poverty reduction, crucial for sustainable development and crucial for achieving any and every one of the Millennium Development Goals."

With more than 58% of Mumbai’s population living in shanties and informal settlements, a majority of the urban poor do not have access to official drinking water and often rely on illegal, alternate sources of water. In most parts of the city, people living in unauthorized settlements and slums end up buying water from private water tanks and pay up to 50 times the water prices than the people with regular water connections, or up to 15% of their income, according to a study. Water is available for only two to five hours in a day and in most of the cases, this water is contaminated with bacteria causing a potential threat to life. In addition to this, women and children have to travel long distances to fetch drinking water everyday. In some parts of the city, like Ambujwadi in Malvani, residents of this informal settlement end up paying as high as Rs. 1 per litre compared to Rs.0.00324 per litre paid by a slum dweller with a registered water meter.

Mumbai receives 3,750 megalitres of water per day (MLD), with an average of 268 litres per person per day as against the national average of 135 litres per person per day. Sitaram Shelar, of Paani Haq Samiti, an NGO working extensively with the rights of the citizen's access to water, states that there isn’t a shortage of water in the city but the problem lies with the water distribution system from the main source in the city. Almost 27% of the water is lost due to leakages and misuse during its supply and 40% of the 386,971 connections are unmetered or faulty.

In 2014, Pani Haq Samiti filed a public interest litigation (PIL), challenging the municipality’s circular to various state bodies which prohibits them from supplying water to illegal settlements and slums in the city, stating that the right to water was a fundamental part of the "Right to Life" under the Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The government cannot differentiate amongst citizens in the provision of water based on the legality of their homes, as denying access to water is as good as denying access to life.

On December 15, 2014 the Bombay High Court passed a landmark judgment, stating that Mumbai’s official water service provider, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, must formulate a policy to supply water to unauthorized slums and informal settlements in the city that have come up post January 1, 2000. This judgment was passed after a PIL was filed by Paani Haq Samiti. This ruling helps safeguard the right to access safe drinking water and sanitation to all and helps prevent privatization and commodification of a shared public resource.

Inclusive urban development strategies must be undertaken in order to ensure equitable distribution of resources to all the citizens of the city, including the urban poor living in informal settlements and slums. Judgments like these serve as an important precedent in safeguarding our fundamental rights to survive in the city and forming guidelines for sustainable development in the future. Close.

All eyes are on the big bang education reforms in Delhi

Delhi, 22 September 2016 — The Delhi government has unleashed a slew of fresh measures to reform education in the State; however, piecemeal strategy and failure to recruit enough teachers might undo the good work.See more.

All eyes are on the big bang education reforms in Delhi

Mukta Naik, Delhi Community Manager

Delhi, 22 September 2016

Of all the megacities in the world, Delhi is the most unusual in terms of its governance framework. In addition to being the national capital, Delhi is also a State, with an elected Chief Minister; yet, key functions like land use planning and policing and even bureaucratic appointments remain with the Centre. Of late, the tensions between the Chief Minister and the Lieutenant Governor, who represents the Union government, have flared considerably in Delhi and a recent High Court judgement that favoured the Centre has only added fuel to the raging fire.

Despite the battles, the Delhi government has made valiant efforts to focus on improving the public education system in the State, beginning boldly with allocating nearly 23 per cent of its budget to education in March this year. With an initial focus on infrastructure improvements like maintenance and construction of additional classrooms, the focus has now shifted to education quality.

In a landmark move, the government organised a parent-teacher meeting (PTM) on 30th of July in over 1000 government schools across the city. Besides giving an opportunity for parents to interact with those who teach their children, something that who send their children to private schools take for granted, the PTM was also a golden opportunity to create a buy-in among parents for the new model of education that the government is hoping to take forward. While critics dismiss it as hype, the PTM’s inordinate success can at least partially be attributed to the activation of defunct school management committees (SMCs) that are mandated by India’s Right to Education Act.

More substantive reforms that speak to education quality are also underway, sources in the government say. Chunauti 2018 (translation: Challenge 2018), an initiative to bring academically deficient students up to speed through additional support mechanisms, replaces the no detention policy widely criticized by educationists nationwide. Summer camps were held in 550 schools across the city this year, for instance. The aim is to equip students to take the Grade 10 school-leaving examination with some level of confidence. A number of organisations including Pratham, Jodo Gyan, Central Square Foundation and Creatnet Education have been roped in to improve learning outcomes and teaching quality in 54 ‘Model Schools’ and plans to train teachers and principals are also afoot.

Despite the commendable energy that the government has brought into education, turning the tide after decades of disrepair and neglect will be a gargantuan task. Experts on education are ambivalent about what these measures will yield and some steps are being viewed with skepticism. “Filling vacancies so that there are enough teachers in schools should be the top priority,” a senior researcher shared, adding that finding trained teachers to fill the 10,000 slots announced by the government will remain a serious challenge. Segregating children by ability under Chunauti 2018 has also been controversial, with child psychologists pointing to the possible adverse impacts of such a move on self-esteem. Curriculum reforms made unilaterally by the government have also not been well received by educationists and by the central examination board.

Overall, while the intent to improve education seems clear, the strategy appears piecemeal. Meanwhile, education has not been spared from the blows in the ongoing pow-wows between the two loci of power. The Lt. Governor took a dig at Delhi’s Education Minister and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia a few days ago, calling his foreign trip to study Finland’s education interventions a ‘vacation’, even as Sisodia tweeted about his meetings and site visits abroad. Amid the scuffle between those in power, hangs in balance the future of thousands of young people.

Dhaka’s traffic nightmare

Dhaka, 21 September 2016 — Owing to rapid and unsustainable urbanization in Dhaka city, existing roads and transportation system is no longer adequate to endure the city’s population and growing need lower commute time. The traffic congestion in Dhaka city is estimated to cause an economic loss worth about 2 billion US dollars and rising. The big idea to combat this ascending issue is a 2.5 billion US dollar metro project aimed at controlling traffic congestion and providing efficient transport for city dwellers on the busiest route of the city. See more.

Dhaka’s traffic nightmare

Sumaiya Nehla Saif, Dhaka Community Manager

Dhaka, 21 September 2016

Owing to rapid and unsustainable urbanization in Dhaka city, existing roads and transportation system is no longer adequate to endure the city’s population and growing need lower commute time. The traffic congestion in Dhaka city is estimated to cause an economic loss worth about 2 billion US dollars and rising. The BIG idea to combat this ascending issue is a 2.5 billion US dollar metro project aimed at controlling traffic congestion and providing efficient transport for city dwellers on the busiest route of the city.

The Asian Development Bank strongly recognizes the need for Dhaka city and its economy to have a safe and fast transportation system and will collaborate with the Ministry of Roads, Transport and Bridges and Dhaka Mass Transit Company. It will invest upon the successful completion of analysis by the Project Preparatory Technical Assistance (PPTA) on the findings of the Revised Strategic Transport Plan (RSTP). The major activities such as Operations Plan and Network, Feasibility Study, Economic/Financial Analysis and Institutional Assessment are expected to be completed by October 2017. Additionally, an international consultant will be hired by the ADB following their own recruiting guidelines.

The project is also taking into account the disruption this will cause to urban population around the construction sites and plan to take necessary steps to minimize their hardships, especially from the sound pollution. The ADB will also conduct a poverty and social analysis in order to ensure implementation of proper labor standards along with spread of diseases, human trafficking, personal safety and other risks of the locals. An international resettlement expert will also be hired to minimize or mitigate the impact of resettlement. Furthermore, environment experts, social development expert and transport economists will also be hired to make this project even more efficient and effective while causing minimum disruption along the way. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has also been prepared thoroughly to minimize pollution and uphold the country’s aim to be environment-friendly. Moreover, the project also intends to compensate for adverse effects of disturbances of livelihood or temporary relocation in line of work.

The overall planning of this project is well thought as well as well-rounded and adheres to international standards of development through building transport infrastructure. It is also in line with the principles of UN Habitat III to promote a transit-friendly, accessible and well planned city. With a fast, smooth flowing transport system, Dhaka city will be free of its monstrous traffic and this change can bring benefits to the people, the economy and contribute immensely to the sustainable development of this city.Close.

"The Johannesburg we need": Yasmeen Dinath on the JDA and UN-Habitat's 'New Urban Agenda'

Johannesburg, 20 September 2016 — In March 2016 UN-Habitat released a document ('The City We Need') summarizing a common vision for a 'New Urban Agenda', to be delivered at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III). We spoke with Yasmeen Dinath, ‎Planning Manager of the ‘Planning and Strategy’ team at the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), exploring whether and how these principles are being enacted in Johannesburg.See more.

"The Johannesburg we need": Yasmeen Dinath on the JDA and UN-Habitat's 'New Urban Agenda'

Tariq Toffa, Johannesburg Community Manager, and Costanza la Mantia

Johannesburg, 20 September 2016

In March 2016 UN-Habitat released a document (‘The City We Need’) summarizing a common vision fora‘New Urban Agenda’, to be delivered at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III). We spoke with Yasmeen Dinath, ‎Planning Manager of the ‘Planning and Strategy’ team at the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), exploring whether and how these principles are being enacted in Johannesburg.

How many of the principles of ‘The City We Need’ campaign can you recognize in the operations of the JDA?

The Johannesburg we need is a just, inclusive and collaborative city.While economically vibrant, italso needs to be collectively managed and democratically governed. It needs to focus on regeneration through co-production of space and place in order to shape a well-planned, walkable and transit-friendly city that is also socially inclusive, safe, engaging and innovative.

Many of the principles of ‘The City We Need’ campaign are part of the strategic vision for the City of Johannesburg; the new 'Spatial Development Framework' recently approved and adopted, together with its detailing instrument, the ‘Integrated Development Plan’. As the main implementer for City strategies, JDA works in a multidimensional way, implementing both on a programmatic and project oriented way. We use a “4C” approach to implementation: Connecting People to Opportunities; Catalysing Growth and Investment; Creating Great Places; and Co-ProducingSolutions with communities rather than for them.

Could you give examples of some of the projects or programmes in which these strategies were applied?

Two current and recent projects which embed the vision and methods that the JDA believes needs to be part of the daily practice of shaping the Johannesburg we need are the 'Noordesig Social Cluster' project and the 'My Alex'project.

The Noordesig Social Clusterproject in Soweto engaged members ofthe Noordgesig community in sharing their views on developments that they would like to see in their area, collectively reflecting on how to capitalize on the general Transit Orientated Development (TOD) strategies of the city at the neighbourhood level. In particular, the community was invited to give input into the design of an overall Precinct Plan, focusing on the social cluster in relation to the "Corridors of Freedom" vision.This community involvementhas pointed to potential projects such as the development of multi-storey housing units, cycling pathways, pedestrian-friendly connections to public transport hubs, and a recreational parkland along both sides of a river crossing the neighbourhood, connected by pedestrian bridges.

A similar collective approach informed the project called ‘My Alex’, whichfocused on youth perceptions of Place. Through a series of workshops aimed at generating creative tools for self-identification and self-expression,it engaged with youth aged 18-25 on their experiences of Alexandra township and their views on the township's future potential. The youngsters used a range of amazing skills – from BMX'ing to drumming, playwriting, poetry, rap, marimba and dance – tooffer their unique take on theirneighbourhood. The project involved the double goals of enhancing pride and sense of place and vocational entrepreneurship in one of the most degraded areas of the city, and re-establishing trust and dialogue between a disillusioned youth and City institutions.The process culminated with two eventsto coincide with national Youth Month in orderto reach wider audiences.

While the JDA is busy with the general Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP), which is established to coordinate intergovernmental activities to develop Alexandra township, projects like ‘My Alex’ are important to set up citizens platforms of engagement that complement and enhance the physical dimension of the transformation of the city. Close.

Bangladeshi garment workers and the work of BGMEA

Chittagong, 19 September 2016 — The readymade garments sector (RMG) in Bangladesh has been making crucial contribution to the country and its economy, accounting for 81% of the total export earnings of the country. Apart from being the major earner of foreign currency, the RMG sector creates employment for over 4 million people, the vast majority of whom are women. See more.

Bangladeshi garment workers and the work of BGMEA

Preyanka Chowdhury, Chittagong Community Manager

Chittagong, 19 September 2016

Functional since 1983, The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is one of the largest trade associations in the country representing the readymade garment industry. The major focus of BGMEA has been to ensure the promotion and facilitation of the apparel industry through policy advocacy to the government, services to members, ensuring workers’ rights, and social compliance at factories.

Apart from ensuring sustainable growth of the garments industry in Bangladesh through the adoption of various strategic policies, BGMEA emphasizes the legitimate rights and privileges of garment workers. As part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), BGMEA ensures future financial solvency and economic independence of individuals by casting a special focus on insurance schemes for workers and staff in this sector. Additionally, BGMEA ensures greater human capital and empowerment through skill development programs for garment workers through several training centers spread around the country.

Catering to 60,000 garment workers per year, BGMEA runs twelve health centers that provide free healthcare facilities and medicine in Chittagong and Dhaka. Various awareness programs on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, reproductive health and use of contraceptives are also conducted regularly. They also operate a fully-equipped hospital in Chittagong which caters to the workers of BGMEA-member factories.

Along with healthcare facilities, the BGMEA encourages literacy for the children of the garment workers by operating five schools, where free books, stationary, and scholarship facilities for meritorious students are provided. The Association also extends free or affordable housing for the workers of member factories. In collaboration with the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA), the BGMEA have recently constructed a workers dormitory that can accommodate 3000 workers.

The BGMEA’s member-factories are compelled to work towards social development of their employees as part of their commitment to the Association’s principles. The factories operate free in-house medical facilities and equipped day care centers for the children of their workers. Many garment factories stand out by offering services and benefits that enrich the lives of their workers in many ways. These range from providing opportunities for workers with disabilities and ensuring hospitable working conditions, to providing free lunch, transport, and in some places, subsidized retail shops that sell basic necessities to them, making a real difference in their lives. Close.

Promoting an inclusive city through women's groups

Jakarta, 16 September 2016 — A city that recognizes the diversity of its citizens is an city that everyone wishes for, especially if the city is able to give recognition to minority groups. Cina Benteng Community is one of the minority groups who have experienced discrimination and stigmatization by the public and the government due to their differences. A social inclusion movement in Cina Benteng is driven by a women's group that promote wider acceptance of their community.See more.

Promoting an inclusive city through women's groups

Widya Anggraini, Jakarta Community Manager

Jakarta, 16 September 2016

A city is expected to provide space for its people to be able to express their aspirations on social, economic, cultural, and political issues. Their rights must be respected. The concept of human rights in the city context means that there is recognition of diversity and adoption of values such as inclusion and anti-discrimination. Jakarta is now developing into greater Jakarta, and is a home to cultural diversity that should be protected. One of the indigenous communities that still survives is the Cina Benteng (Ciben) community who live in Tangerang. As minority group, they are still experiencing discrimination and stigmas. The Women’s Resource Development Center (PPSW) in Jakarta has given assistance to the Ciben Community and there has been noticable progress as the government and the wider public are starting to acknowledge their existence and cultural richness. The Ciben Woman's group has big part to play in the process of promoting social inclusion.

The Ciben community has a unique history and culture distinct from the Chinese although for many reasons the two communities are conflated. Physically, they are different from the Chinese because their skin is darker and economically they have bee left behind. Discrimination against ethnic Chinese minorities actually has a long history in Indonesia. The authorities restrict their movement and reduce their freedom to preform their culture, religion, and traditions. At the moment, this restriction has been significantly reduced and economic freedom has been given. However, there are still ethnic Chinese community memberse living in poverty and experiencing discrimination, stereotypes, and stigma, including the Cina Benteng. As the result, they do not receive proper basic services such as identity cards, education, and health services.

In their approach, PPSW is working with women's group mainly because men in Ciben community are focused on economic activity. Meanwhile, the majority of Ciben women are housewives and work at home. Therefore, women are expected to be the "vehicle" for social acceptance. Initially, these women formed a cooperation called Koperasi Wanita Pengembang Sumberdaya (KWPS) Lentera Benteng Jaya that facilitates economic empowerment and cultural activities. They also now attempt to re-create their famous dance called Cokek Sipatmo. This dance has been performed in many events and is well received by the government. It represents an important way for them to hold on to their cultural uniqueness.

The co-op also set up a cake business called 'Lentera Cake' which sells unique Ciben cakes, pastries, and snacks to be sold for the public. KWPS Lentera Benteng Jaya is now establishing a farmer group named 'KWT Lentera' (women farmers group) that own organic vegetable businesses to support a bigger program called Tangerang Berkebun (gardening) and Green Village at Kampung Mekarsari.

The PPSW and the Ciben women's group also approached the city government and encouraged them to start giving proper attention and acknowledgement towards the Ciben community. Advocates targeted several offices in the government such as the civil administration office, the tourism office, and the trade department. Government engagement now can be seen through their services that address the Ciben by giving them identity cards, family cards, and universal insurance. Several additional offices now also want to be involve as they see the dynamic of this woman group in various events held by city government. The Department of Agriculture for example are considering giving training in farming. The city planning agency also now invites Ciben community members to enter the process of development planning at Kampung Mekarsari as sign of recognition.

Progress of acknowledgement, recognition, cultural, and economic empowerment from the government shows that discrimination towards minority groups can gradually be reduced so that there is no more distinction in public services granted. Government acceptance is improving along side the continuing effort to preserve the cultural identity of Ciben community that could, despite the progress made, slowly disappear.Close.

#SomosCDMX

Mexico City, 15 September 2016 —
Mexico City moves toward a new legal and democratic identity to ensure and strengthen democratic mechanisms of representation and autonomy as a state over the Federation.See more.

Previously the Federal District was governed under a statute approved by the Federal Congress, in which the capital had no vote or influence amended. With this change, the people of the city and representatives acquire the right to decide how will be stablished their Constitution, rights that must include and which type of administrative organization will have, and the characteristics of the governors and legislators that must represent the citizens.

With this reform, the 16 delegations become municipalities with a territorial legal entity with political structure, own budget and administration. Likewise, the Asamblea Legislativa will become a local Congress with autonomy and with the same democratic value than the rest of the states, with quality deciding vote against federal laws.

To transit to the political model of the CDMX a Constituent Assembly is needed. The Assembly is a constituent organ that will approve the Constitution of the entity before the beginning of 2017. It will be responsible for receiving, amending and approving the constitution delivered by the head City government in its first draft in September 2016. The decree of the political reform of the City, stipulates the creation of this Assembly through democratic elections. Members of the Assembly are 60 deputies newly elected by popular vote, 14 current senators elected by the Senate, 14 current federal deputies elected by the federal Congress, 6 current federal deputies appointed by the President of the Republic and 6 deputies appointed by the Government of Mexico City. The elections for the formation of the Assembly were organized in June 2016 by the National Electoral Institute and submitted to a vote of citizenship as a space of representation for the origins of the creation of the CDMX. For this exercise a percentage of independent candidates who are not part of any political party were contemplated.

The content of the Constitution will be conducted by a working group composed of people with extensive experience in the academic, professional and social sector. Among its features are proposing mechanisms for citizens to contribute their ideas, as well as political, civil and social organizations. In this sense, a digital platform CDMX Constitution was created as a space for interaction of ideas and opinions of the inhabitants of the city to be part of the discussions of the Working Group on the draft Constitution. The discussion and reflections will be conducted by the working group and the Governor of the city.

These mechanisms of democratic participation and empowerment of the CDMX share the Principles of Habitat Campaign 2016, particularly related to the strengthening of democracy and participation mechanisms. Close.

Empowering riverbank communities

Surabaya, 14 September 2016 — Communities who lives on riverbanks often receive a stigma as illegal people that causing floods and pollution to the river next to them. Hence, evictions are common policy, as well as as relocations away from the riverbank. This process may very well break their only communal bonds and threaten their liviloods. However, the Strenkali Surabaya community shows that resilience is possible and demonstrates that eviction is not the only policy to improve riverbanks. See more.

Empowering riverbank communities

Widya Anggraini, Surabaya Community Manager

Surabaya, 14 September 2016

City planners often consider people who live on riverbanks guilty for making the river dirty and causing floods during the rainy season. They're also held responsible for slums around the riverbanks which make the inhabitants prone to disease. People who live on riverbanks receive a stigma that they are illegal, dirty, poor, underdeveloped, uneducated, and make the city ugly. Therefore, this stigma ostensibly becomes a reason to justify eviction as the only solution for avoiding disease, flooding, and further damage to the river. Economically these communities are vulnerable because their settlement is far from the city center as the source of their living. Most of them are working in the informal sector. Hence, resilience to disaster, and anticipating socioeconomci changes for the worse are daily worry for such people. Learning from Strenkali Surabaya, we might say that it is possible for riverbanks communities to independently persevere and manage resources and the environment without much help from the government. More importantly, by showing who they are and what is false about the misconceptions associated with them, they may be able to change the government plans about eviction./p>

According to Gatot Subroto, one of the coordinators at Paguyuban Warga Strenkali, their riverbank community was formed due to rapid urbanization starting 1945. They started to occupy the riverbank area and built huts then turn to semi and permanent settlements. Around 2007, the government issued regulation to displace the housing but received strong resistance form the Strenkali community.

The Strenkali community then organized themselves into an association called Paguyuban Warga Strenkali Surabaya (PWSS). They attempted to change the mindset of the local government about eviction policies by upgrading their housing and organizing themselves, while developing counter proposals that indicate that flooding could be prevented with active participation from the wider community. It also says that urban development can be carried out without relocation processes.

In order to prepare the proposal, PWSS actively conducted mapping and studies on spatial planning, hydrology, ecology, and sanitation. The result was then analyzed and formulated into solutions to answer problems with respect to social and economic challenges. The process involved everyone, including residents, hydrological experts, architects, academics, and community leaders. The result was that the Strenkali community now has a five-year work plan to upgrade their housing and working with the government to clean up the river and move back the house to create space. All of this was done without eviction.

The process of Kampung upgrading was led by the community themselves. Their activity involved ajdusting positions of the houses that partially occupy the river and setting them back about 3-5 meters to make room for road and sanitation infrastructure. The whole process produced the concept of Jogokali (Protect the River). It is a concept of protecting the river and building community resilience. From the economic side, they formed the business group KUBE as well as a savings group. They also formed a study group for children, held health gymnastics, and put on the River Float festival during Habitat Day in October. Capacity-building is also on the agenda of PWSS especially with respect to disaster preparedness, sanitation, village planning, and other necessary skills.

The Strenkali community is basically an example of how to manage riverbanks without necessarily sacrificing the community who has already live there for decades. By utilizing the resources that already exist within the community, the authorities should benefit from them as they protect the river and prevent the floods and abrasion. All of this work also empowers them social and economically as full and recognized members of the community. The main challenge appears to be on the verge of being fully overcome, in the Surabaya government has shown a cler willingness to support this practices and alter their initial plans on mass eviction. Close.